Chesterfield County, SC gained national attention when news broke that animal control officers were taking dogs out to the local landfill and shooting them. At least 22 dogs and puppies, and maybe as many 50, suffered this cruel fate. Cats were bashed on the head with a pipe. And that's just the beginning of the accusations against Chesterfield County.

While the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter was shooting dogs instead of humanely euthanizing them, their euthanasia drugs have been unaccounted for. One of the drugs commonly used for lethal injection in animals has a high street value.

Animal shelter director Brian Burch, a convicted felon on drug charges, is also accused of taking pit bulls from the shelter for his own dog fighting operation.

When these allegations first surfaced, the Chesterfield County Sheriff -- who is responsible for the animal shelter -- assigned the case to himself. Thanks to public pressure, the shelter was closed and Burch and the other animal control workers were placed on administrative leave. The state law enforcement division took over the investigation, which was a victory, but just the first step. Now that their investigation is complete, it's up to the state attorney general to file charges.

Urge the state attorney general to file charges and hold everyone responsible for the cruelty at Chesterfield County Animal Shelter accountable for their crimes.

Please take a moment to also contact South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson through his website: http://www.scattorneygeneral.org/ag/contactform.html

If you're on Twitter, tweet @SCAttyGenOffice calling for charges against the Chesterfield County Shelter.

Update: The Attorney General has sent the case back to the state law enforcement division for a more thorough investigation. Email addresses for SLED have been added to the petition to keep the pressure on both departments to follow through with holding Chesterfield County accountable for these abuses.

Letter to

SC Attorney GeneralAlan Wilson

Director, SLEDReginald Lloyd

Communications Director, SLEDJennifer Timmons

and 1 other

Deputy Director, SLEDMajor Richard Hunton

As you are aware, the allegations against the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter employees range from animal abuse to failure to account for Schedule III drugs to dog fighting. I urge you to take action and hold everyone involved accountable for these crimes.

People across the country have been shocked and horrified by the news coming out of Chesterfield County Animal Shelter. The reported cruelty would have been bad enough had it been perpetrated by private individuals, but to have animal shelter employees committing these acts is a violation of public trust.

Please show that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in South Carolina by thoroughly investigating all of the allegations and filing charges against those responsible for the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter abuses.